American Dreamers - Edwin Torres - NYTimes.com

Edwin Torres — Legal Clerk from Minneapolis, Minn.

My name is Edwin Torres and recently I had the honor to realize my American Dream; to obtain a college education. I attended Saint John’s University where I majored in Political Science.

However, my story does not start here. I was born in the small country of El Salvador at the end of a long civil war that had plagued my country since 1979. The war completely altered my parent’s lives and mine as well. At the end of the war, my parents received the opportunity to come to the US but my older brother and I were denied that privilege. I grew up not seeing my parents for six years until they were able to save enough money for legal representation. I arrived in the U.S. without knowing the English language, the American culture, to my younger brother who was born here, and to my parents whom of I had no memory of.

We were poor, really poor. Before starting college, I had moved more than 12 times, and I attended 10 different public schools and at times we found ourselves homeless, twice. However, I did not let these adversities define me. I succeed academically in high school and was on track to attend my dream university, but soon I find out that I was “Undocumented” and my chances of attending college were now far fetch especially since I would not be able to receive any federal aid, most scholarships, grants, or loans. It seemed that my parents did not follow through with my legal procedures and I had lost my legal status soon after arriving.

My hope to pursue a higher education came when President Obama introduced his executive order, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. It is Because of DACA, that I attended Saint John’s University. I succeed academically but I was also awarded nearly every major leadership award at our institution for my commitment to civic engagement. Furthermore, I have also been recognized in the state of Minnesota and at the national level including the U.S. Senate floor.

Having DACA has allowed me to succeed, to be able to give back to my parents, but most importantly to serve as a productive member of our society. It has allowed me to not live in fear, but rather to use my resources to help others. It has allowed me to carry myself with dignity.